With the dredging and reopening of springs connected to Parishan wetland in Kazerun city in Fars Province, its water level has risen by more than 17 times, said Jamal Khodaparast, head of Kazerun’s Department of Environment (DoE).
Parishan is a spring-fed freshwater wetland. Road construction work in 2008 cut off some of the springs pouring into the wetland, therefore strangling its lifeline, he said quoted by IRNA.
If the required funds are provided, some other springs can be reopened including the Khajou spring, he said.
However the wetland needs 12 million cubic meters additional water to be completely restored and spring waters alone cannot return it to its original status. The biggest impact of water flow to the wetland will be to help safeguard its wildlife and maintain the regional habitat. Another strategy to keep the wetland alive is to transfer water from Nargesi Dam in the province, he added.
Parishan wetland has been home to thousands of migratory birds and other species since a long time.
Illegal Wells Blocked
Some 300 illegal wells around Parishan basin existed, of which 120 were closed recently.
Although, it is estimated that the number of illegal wells in the vicinity are in the range of 500-600, said Mohsen Soleimani Rouzbahani, national director of Conservation of Iranian Wetlands Project.
As per the law, the wetland’s management plan is assessed every five years and accordingly, the new review has begun, he said.
The wetland was registered in the Ramsar Convention of the DoE as an international wetland and categorized “as a conserved area.”
